Southport man to take part in Iron Man UK to raise money for brain tumour research

A SOUTHPORT man is fulfilling a lifelong ambition by taking part in an iron man competition this weekend.

Trevor Jones has dreamed of testing his fitness to the max ever since he watched Tom Selleck in Magnum PI.

The 39-year-old pledged to complete the gruelling challenge before his 40th birthday and raise money for a brain tumour charity following the death of his sister in 1989.

Trevor, who lives in Churchtown with his wife Joanna, 44, and children Fraser, eight, and Emily, seven, said: “The competition consists of a two and a half mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and then a marathon. I want to try and do it in 13 hours.”

Trevor, who works as a personal trainer, is well prepared for the event. He said: “I have been competing in triathlons for years and training specifically for this race since January.

“I have been wanting to do an iron man event ever since I saw Tom Selleck do it in Magnum PI. For the last eight months I have done nothing but train, so I think the children are forgetting who their daddy is.

“To prepare myself I have been cycling from Southport to Chester and back, swimming in Ullswater Lake and doing back-to-back half marathons at the weekends.”

Trevor has already raised £4,000 for brain tumour research, in memory of his sister Mandy, who died aged 21 in 1989. He said: “She started slurring her words but the doctors sent her home saying nothing was wrong and she died within a month. She had a daughter Amy, who was only one when her mum passed away, and she is 22 now. She has just graduated from Edge Hill University and wants to open up her own nursery. I also know a girl called Hannah Jones, who is 17 and lives in Chester, and she has a brain tumour too. It is inoperable but she is doing all right at the minute.”

Hannah has set up a fund to donate money to the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.

It is this fund that Trevor wants people to contribute to, as sponsorship for his challenge.